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Half-million dollar man: Scientology donor gives pep talk in leaked video

[Paul Seymor, third from right, earned Patron Meritorious in 2016]

Paul Seymour is one of Scientology’s leading donors. We haven’t seen him receive a new trophy for donations to the IAS since 2016 when he earned reached the level of Patrons Meritorious for donations of over $250,000. He has since moved up to Silver Meritorious at []

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The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 20: Gensler

 In 2011 we spent the month of August counting down a list of the “Top 25 People Crippling Scientology.” Nine years later, Scientology is still hurting, but church leader David Miscavige learned long ago that paid membership was only one resource that kept him in business. He also relies on a small army of enablers, []

The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 21: Parents who subscribe to ABCMouse

 In 2011 we spent the month of August counting down a list of the “Top 25 People Crippling Scientology.” Nine years later, Scientology is still hurting, but church leader David Miscavige learned long ago that paid membership was only one resource that kept him in business. He also relies on a small army of enablers, []

Even Alaska — yes, Alaska — gave Scientology COVID-relief funds, for Xenu’s sake

 There was a lot of outrage — particularly from Leah Remini and Mike Rinder — when news emerged that Scientology had cashed in on the general looting of Coronavirus-relief funds for small businesses that the Trump administration had set aside. []

Valerie Haney reacts to setback in lawsuit against Scientology: ‘I will continue to fight’

 Last week, we reported that Valerie Haney’s attempt at a do-over in her lawsuit against the Church of Scientology had failed, the latest setback in what appeared to be a major legal attack against the church and its leader, David Miscavige, when Valerie first filed it in June []

Leah Remini’s podcast: Paulette Cooper, Scientology’s ‘OG of Fair Game victims’

[Paulette in 1971, when her book about Scientology came out]

We already told you how excited we were to find out that Paulette Cooper had talked to Leah Remini for her new podcast, and in that story we provided a lengthy excerpt from our 2015 book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss []

Brian Statler’s family wins right to police report and Scientology surveillance footage

[Brian Statler]

More than a year ago, a 30-year-old mixed race Black man named Brian Statler was gunned down by two Inglewood Police Department officers at the Scientology church in that Los Angeles suburb, reportedly after he had showed up with a “samurai sword.” []

VIDEO: Portland unrest inspires $250,000 donation from Scientology lifer

 If you haven’t been paying attention to the news in the U.S. you might not be aware of the clashes between Black Lives Matter protesters and police in Portland, Oregon. It’s been a sometimes bloody street fight with protesters hurling rocks, eggs, and paint, while police attempt to take back control wearing riot gear and []

The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 22: Graham Norton and other celebrity strokers

 In 2011 we spent the month of August counting down a list of the “Top 25 People Crippling Scientology.” Nine years later, Scientology is still hurting, but church leader David Miscavige learned long ago that paid membership was only one resource that kept him in business. He also relies on a small army of enablers, []

Faces of the Sea Org: Rare look at Scientology workers indentured for a billion years

 Wednesday was Sea Org Day in Scientology. Each August 12, those hardy souls who have signed billion-year contracts, promising to work for Scientology lifetime after lifetime, are briefly celebrated before they have to go right back to their around-the-clock jobs, working 365 days a year for pennies an hour, when they’re paid at []